The Mercer County Health Department (MCHD) today announced the first case defined COVID-19 related deaths for Mercer County. “It is with great sorrow that I am reporting 3 deaths of Mercer County residents that occurred over the course of last weekend that are considered to be COVID related deaths.”, said Carla Ewing, Administrator. “All three cases were fellow community members, a loved one of neighbors, and perhaps someone you were close to. The staff of the Mercer County Health Department wants to extend our sympathies to those who knew and loved these individuals.” The deaths are two females and a male between the ages of 80 – 100.
Ewing adds, “We continue to implore our communities to do what we know works in reducing the transmission of this virus – social distancing at least 6 feet, wearing a face covering, washing hands frequently, limiting social gatherings, staying home when you are ill.”
In a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case, the case will be considered a COVID-related death:
- If death is within 30 days of symptom onset, diagnosis, positive laboratory specimen collection OR during hospitalization, unless there was another fully explanatory alternative cause of death unrelated to SARS-CoV-2 infection, (e.g. accident, homicide)
- If the patient had a clinical history consistent with COVID-19 and did not completely recover (return to baseline health) after the COVID-19 diagnosis
- If the patient had autopsy findings consistent with COVID-19
- If disease (COVID-19 or SARS-Co-V2) is mentioned on the death certificate under any of the below circumstances,
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- Immediate Cause of Death
- Underlying Cause of Death
- Significant Condition Contributing to Death
If disease is not mentioned in any place on the death certificate, but meets criteria for #1 or #2, then still “Yes” died from illness or complication of the disease.
“We’ve seen an alarming increase in our positivity rate over the past two weeks, which has put our county metric for new cases at the warning level and our test positivity metric at almost the 8% threshold. (https://www.dph.illinois.gov/countymetrics?county=Mercer)” states Ewing, “ This is not what we want to see happen for our county or our region. We need EVERYONE to cooperate and do the best thing to keep the community as a whole healthy.”